Insulated floor structure for refrigerated shipboard compartments



June 23, 1964 H. H. R. NIEMANN 3,138,132

INSULATED FLOOR STRUCTURE FOR REFRIGERATED SHIPBOARD COMPARTMENTS FiledApril 5, 1963 3 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR 644/145 hf 1e. /V/EM4A//V M 4Mx/M ATTORNEY June 23, 1964 H. H. R. NIEMANN 3,138,132 INSULATED FLOORSTRUCTURE FOR REFRIGERATED SHIPBOARD COMPARTMENTS Filed April 5, 1965 3Sheets-Sheet 2 N t INVENTOR Ham/.5 H. ,8. A/AEMA/VA/ ATTORNEY June 23,1964 H. H. R. NIEMANN 3,133,132

INSULATED FLOOR STRUCTURE FOR REFRIGERATED SHIPBOARD COMPARTMENTS 3Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed April 3, 1963 mm mw INVENTOR A6 A9. A//5M,4/v/v BYZATTORNEY United States Patent 3,138,132 INSULATED FLOOR STRUCTURE FORREFRIGER- ATED SHIPBOARD COMPARTMENTS Hans Heinrich Richard Niemann,Abendrothsweg 33, Hamburg, Germany Filed Apr. 3, 1963, Ser. No. 270,468Claims priority, application Germany Nov. 16, 1955 7 Claims. (Cl.114-76) This invention relates to ship construction, and moreparticularly to an insulated floor structure for refrigerated shipboardcompartments, and this application is a continuation-in-part of myco-pending application Serial No. 620,367, filed November 5, 1956, nowabandoned.

As is well known, shipboard structures are subject to stresses andstrains entirely diiferent from those encountered in structures on land,and furthermore, by the very nature of the shipboard construction, oncethe structure is completed, access to inner portions thereof is renderedextremely difficult if not impossible, since the interior structures ofships are normally assembled from the bottom thereof upwardly, with theresult that succeeding structures cover those situated below, and unlessaccess means is provided in the event it is necessary to have access toinner structures, it is necessary to tear out the succeeding structures,thereby rendering replacement or re pair time-consuming and costly.

This situation is particularly troublesome with respect to tanks forwater or fuel situated in the bottom of the ship and covered bycompartments, particularly refrigerated compartments in which there isan appreciable difference in temperature between the compartment and thestructure located therebelow, and due to the stresses and strainsimposed on the structure, it is extremely difficult to provide amoisture-proof floor or bottom for the refrigerated compartment, withthe result that leakage of moisture frequently occurs, which moisturecollects in the space between the floor of the compartment and the topplates of the tanks situated therebelow, with the result that not onlyare the tank plates subject to rust and corrosion with subsequentfailure thereof, but the insulating material in the floor structure ofthe refrigerated compartment becomes saturated with moisture, therebyrendering such material substantially useless for insulating purposes.

Furthermore, a portion of the floor structure for the refrigeratedcompartment is usually of wood construction, and any moisture leakageresults in rotting of such wood construction, with the result thatperiodically a major repair operation is necessary, and with presentlyutilized construction this operation is time-consuming and costly.

The situation above referred to is further aggravated by the fact thatfrequently where a refrigerated chamber is installed over fuel oiltanks, it is customary to provide an air space between the floorstructure and the top plates of the tanks, and to ventilate such airspace by means of a duct leading therefrom to the atmosphere, and whilesuch duct may permit the escape of oil vapor, such duct also permits theentry of moisture to such space, since s c 55a is usually very humid,and due to the temperature differential between the refrigeratedcompartment and the space between the flood structure thereof and thetank top plates, condensation occurs which results in moisture from theair collecting in the space, as well as in the insulation, therebydestroying the insulating qualities thereof, and causing rotting of anywood structures present therein, as well as corrosion of the tank topplates.

It is accordingly an object of the invention to provide an insulatedfloor structure for refrigerated compartments in a ship, which structuremay be conveniently prefabricated in relatively small, easily handledunits, and thereafter installed in the ship to provide a moisture-prooffloor structure.

A further object of the invention is to provide an insulated floorstructure for refrigerated compartments in a ship, the floor structurebeing composed of relatively small, conveniently handled, individualunits which may be prefabricated and thereafter installed in the ship,such units also being individually removable for replacement or repair,or to provide access to the tank top plate or other structure situatedtherebelow.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of an insulatedfloor structure for refrigerated compart ments in a ship, in which theinsulating material is completely sealed in a moisture-proof container,thereby preventing entry of moisture into the insulation material, tothereby maintaintain the insulating qualities thereof.

Another object of the invention is the provision of an insulated floorstructure for refrigerated compartments in a ship, which floor structuremay be conveniently prefabricateed in individual units of standard sizewhich may be conveniently installed in the ship, and thereafterindividually removed for replacement or repair, and in which means isprovided for facilitating the extrusion of a sealing material betweenthe joints of the individual sections after installation thereof in theship, thereby providing a moisture-proof floor structure.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent fromthe following description taken in conjunction With the accompanyingdrawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary top plan view showing the floor structure ofthis invention installed in a ship to provide the floor of arefrigerated compartment;

FIG. 2, a fragmentary sectional view taken substantially on the line 22of FiG. 1, and showing the relationship.

of the floor structure of this invention to tanks installed in thebottom of the ship below the floor structure;

FIG. 3, a fragmentary sectional view taken substantially o the line 3-3of FIG. 1, and showing the manner of supporting the floor structure, aswell as details of construction thereof, together with the sealing meansbetween each floor structure unit; and,

FIG. 4, a fragmentary sectional view taken substan-' tially on line 44of FIG. 1, and showing further details of construction of the floorstructure.

With continued reference to the drawings, and particularly FIG. 2, thereis shown a portion of a ship having a bottom 10 and a side 11 ofconventional construction, and installed in the bottom of the ship are aplurality of tanks 13 for water or fuel, such tanks being separated bypartitions 14 and being provided with conventional bafile plates 15having apertures 16 therein. There is also provided a bilge space 17having conventional baffle plates 18 therein. Water may collect in thebilge space 17, and may be pumped therefrom at periodic intervals. Thetanks 13 are provided with top plates 19, and suitable insulation 20 and21 may be provided on the side 11 of the ship. The above-describedstructure represents substantially conventional ship construction, andrepresents the structure which must receive the insulated floorstructure of this invention.

As best shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the insulated floor structure of thisinvention comprises a plurality of individual units 22 of generallyrectangular configuration, and

which may be conveniently prefabricated in a shop on individual floorunit or section 22 comprises a generally rectangular floor plate 24 ofany suitable material such as wood, metal or the like, and the floorplate 22 is provided d with an arcuate, outwardly opening groove 25extending along the side edges 26, and along the end edges 27. Asclearly shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the upper edge 28 of each groove 25 isdisposed inwardly of the lower edge for a purpose which will laterappear.

A cross member 29 depends from each end of the floor plate 22, and thecross-members 29 may be secured to the floor plate 22 by a bolt 39extending therethrough, with the head of the bolt disposed in acountersunk recess 31 in the floor plate 22, and with the nut 32 of thebolt 30 disposed in a countersunk recess 33 in the cross member 29. Agenerally rectangular container 34 of moisture-proof, flexible,yieldable material having side walls 35, end walls 36, and a bottom wall37 is provided for receiving insulating material 38, and the side walls35 of the container 34 are provided with outwardly extending flanges 39on the upper edges thereof. The container 34 depends from the floorplate 24, and as best shown in FIG. 3, the flanges 39 on the side walls35 of the container 34 are secured to the lower surface of the floorplate 24 by screw-threaded fastening means or the like 40, and as bestshown in FIG. 4, the end walls 36 of the container 34 are secured to theouter surface of the cross members 29 by a suitable adhesive or othermeans, and furthermore, as will be seen from an inspection of FIG. 4,the upper edges 41 of end walls 36 of the container 34 are received in adownwardly opening recess 42 in the end edges of the floor plate 24, andthese upper edges 41 of the end walls 36 are secured to a wall of therecess 42 in any suitable manner, as by a suitable adhesive. The upperedges 41 of the end walls 36 of the container 34 which project into therecesses 42 serve to seal the joint 43 between the cross members 29 andthe floor plate 24.

Outwardly projecting flexible sealing strips 44 project outwardly fromthe lower edges of the side walls 35 of the container 34, and thesealing strips 44 may be secured to the bottom wall 37 of the container34 in any suitable manner, such as by a clamping strip 45 secured to thebottom wall 37. In a similar manner, sealing strips 46 project outwardlyfrom the lower edges of the end walls 36 of the container 34, and thesealing strips 46 may be secured to the bottom wall 37 in any desiredmanner, such as by clamping strips 47 suitably secured to the bottomwall 37.

In order to support the individual floor sections or units in the shipto provide a floor structure for a refrigerated compartment above thetanks 15, there may be provided spaced, parallel timbers 48, clearlyshown in FIGS. 2 and 3, as extending in a fore and aft direction in theship, and resting on the upper surface of the tank top plates 19. Asbest shown in FIGS. 2, 3 and 4, the individual floor sections or units22 are installed in the ship with the containers 34 depending betweenthe timbers 48, and the flanges 39 on the side walls 35 of thecontainers 34 engage the upper surface of the timbers 48. The floorplates 24 are secured to the timbers 48 by screw-threaded or othersuitable fastening means 49 extending downwardly through the floorplates 24, and with the heads of the fastening means 49 received incounter bores 50 in the upper surface of the floor plates 24. Thefastening means 49 operates to clamp and compress the flanges 39 betweenthe lower surface of the floor plates 24 and the upper surface of thetimbers 48 to provide a moistureproof seal therebetween. As shown inFIG. 3, the sealing strips 44 on the lower side edges of the containers34 engage the adjacent side surface of the timbers 48, and in a similarmanner, as shown in FIG. 4, the sealing strips 46 on the lower end edgesof the containers 34 engage the sealing strips 46 on the adjacentcontainers. The sealing strip 44 and 46 provide baffles to prevent aircirculation upwardly between the containers 34 and between thecontainers 34 and the timbers 48.

In order to provide a completely moisture-proof structure which willprevent leakage of water downwardly from the compartment through thefloor structure to the space between the tank top plates 19 and thefloor structure, it will be seen from an inspection of FIGS. 3 and 4that the arcuate grooves 25 in the side and end edges of the floorplates 24 provide a space with an opening upwardly through the floorplates provided by the edges 28 set back from the lower-edges 26, andthe space provided by the arcuate grooves 25 may be conveniently filledby extruding a suitable sealing or calking material 51 into this space.The sealing material 51 does not set hard, but remains in a semi-plasticor yieldable condition to compensate for expansion and contraction ofthe floor sections, while continuing to provide a moisture-proof seal,and furthermore, such material does not prevent convenient removal ofindividual floor sections 22 by simply removing the fastening means 49and lifting the section out in order to permit convenient repair orreplacement of the section, or repair of the tank top plates 19 situatedtherebelow.

As best shown in FIG. 2, a suitable hatch 52 may serve to provide accessto the bilge space 17, and if desired, the hatch 52 may be ofsubstantially the same construction as the floor sections 22.

It will be seen that by the above-described invention, there has beenprovided an insulated floor structure for refrigerated compartments in aship, which structure may be conveniently and economically prefabricatedfrom readily available materials and in shops on shore, therebyfacilitating such fabrication, the sections thereafter which are ofstandard dimensions being conveniently installed in the ship, it onlybeing necessary to provide the timbers on the tank top plates 19 forsupporting the fioor sections in place. The structure as above describedprovides complete moisture protection for the insulation, since suchinsulation is sealed in a moisture-proof container forming a part ofeach floor section, and furthermore, complete moisture protection forthe space below the floor structure is provided by suitable sealingmeans installed between the adjacent floor sections during theinstallation thereof. As the result of the particular structure abovedescribed, moisture-proof characteristics and consequently theefficiency of the insulation will be maintained, regardless of stressesand strains resulting from working of the ship in a seaway, and repairor replacement of the floor structure is greatly facilitated by reasonof the use of individual sections which may be conveniently removed andreplaced, without destroying the entire floor structure.

It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various changes maybe made in the invention without departing from the spirit and scopethereof, and therefore the invention is not limited by that which isshown in the drawings and described in the specification, but only asindicated in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. Insulated floor structure for refrigerated compartments in a shiphaving a hull, tanks in the bottom of said hull, said tanks having topplates and said compartments being disposed above said tanks, said floorstructure comprising a plurality of spaced parallel timbers extendingfore and aft in said hull and supported on said top plates, a pluralityof substantially identical generally rectangular floor sections disposedbetween and supported on said timbers, each floor section comprising agenerally rectangular floor plate having an arcuate outwardly openinggroove extending along the side and end edges and with the upper edge ofeach groove disposed inwardly of the lower edge, a cross memberdepending from each end of said floor plate, a generally rectangularcontainer of moisture-proof, flexible, yieldable material having side,end and bottom walls, outwardly extending flanges on the upper edges ofsaid side walls, said container depending from said floor plate andsurrounding said cross members with said flanges secured to said floorplate, said floor plate having a downwardly opening recess extendingalong each end edge, said end walls being secured to the outer L A. A

sides of said cross members and to a wall of said recess to seal thejoints between said cross members and said floor plate, a mass ofinsulation in said container and outwardly projecting flexible sealingstrips extending along the lower side and end edges of said container,said floor sections being disposed between said timbers with saidflanges and a portion of the side edges of each section overlapping saidtimbers to support said sections thereon with the bottom wall of eachsection spaced above said top plates, said floor plates being secured tosaid timbers to compress the material of said flanges and provide aseal, the sealing strips on the sides of said containers engaging thesides of said timbers, the sealing strips on the ends of said containersoverlapping and engaging the sealing strips on the ends of the adjacentcontainers and the opposed grooves in the side and end edges of saidfloor plates being filled with a plastic caulking compound, whereby amoisture-proof seal is provided between the compartment and the spaceabove said top plates and said floor sections are individually removablefor repair or replacement.

2. Insulated floor structure for refrigerated compartments in a shiphaving a hull, tanks in the bottom of said hull, said tanks having topplates and said compartments being disposed above said tanks, said floorstructure comprising a plurality of spaced, parallel timbers extendingfore and aft in said hull and supported on said top plates, a pluralityof substantially identical generally rectangular floor sections disposedbetween and supported on said timbers, each floor section comprising agenerally rectangular floor plate having an arcuate outwardly openinggroove extending along the side and end edges and with the upper edge ofeach groove disposed inwardly of the lower edge, a cross memberdepending from each end of said floor plate, a generally rectangularcontainer of moisture-proof, flexible, yieldable material having side,end and bottom walls, outwardly extending flanges on the upper edges ofsaid side walls, said container depending from said floor plate andsurrounding said cross members with said flanges secured to said floorplate, said floor plate having a downwardly opening recess extendingalong each end edge, said end walls being secured to the outer sides or"said cross members and to a wall of said recess to seal the jointsbetween said cross members and said floor plate and a mass of insulationin said container, said floor sections being disposed between saidtimbers with said flanges and a portion of the side edges of eachsection overlapping said timbers to support said sections thereon withthe bottom wall of each section spaced above said topplates, said floorplates being secured to said timbers to compress the material of saidflanges and provide a seal and the opposed grooves in the side and endedges of said floor plates being filled with a plastic caulkingcompound, whereby a moisture-proof seal is provided between thecompartment and the space above said tank plates and said floor sectionsare individually removable for repair or replacement.

3. Insulated floor structure for refrigerated compartments in a shiphaving a hull, tanks in the bottom of said hull, said tanks having topplates and said compartments being disposed above said tanks, said floorstructure comprising a plurality of spaced parallel timbers extendingfore and aft in said hull and supported on said top plates, a pluralityof substantially identical generally rectangular floor sections disposedbetween and supported on said timbers, each floor section comprising agenerally rectangular floor plate having an arcuate outwardly openinggroove extending along the side and end edges and with the upper edge ofeach groove disposed inwardly of the lower edge, a cross memberdepending from each end of said floor plate, a generally rectangularcontainer of moisture-proof, flexible, yieldable material having side,end and bottom Walls, outwardly extending flanges on the upper edges ofsaid side walls, said container depending from said floor plate andsurrounding said cross members with said flanges secured to said floorplate, said end walls being secured to the outer sides of said crossmembers and a mass of insulation in said container, said floor sectionsbeing disposed between said timbers with said flanges and a portion ofthe side edges of each section overlapping said timbers to support saidsections thereon with the bottom wall of each section spaced above saidtop plates, said floor plates being secured to said timbers to compressthe material of said flanges and provide a seal and the opposed groovesin the side and end edges of said floor plates being filled with aplastic caulking compound, whereby a moisture-proof seal is providedbetween the compartment and the space above said top plates and saidfloor sections are individually removable for repair or replacement.

4. Insulated floor structure for refrigerated compartments in a shiphaving a hull, tanks in the bottom of said hull, said tanks having topplates and said compartments being disposed above said tanks, said floorstructure comprising a plurality of spaced parallel timbers extendingfore and aft in said hull and supported on said top plates, a pluralityof substantially identical generally rectangular floor sections disposedbetween and supported on said timbers, each floor section comprising agenerally rectangular floor plate having an outwardly opening grooveextending along the side and end edges, a cross member depending fromeach end of said floor plate, a generally rectangular container ofmoisture-proof, flexible, yieldlable material having side, end andbottom walls, outwardly extending flanges on the upper edges of saidside walls, said container depending from said floor plate andsurrounding said cross members with said flanges secured to said floorplate, said end walls being secured to the outer sides of said crossmembers and a mass of insulation in said container, said floor sectionsbeing disposed between said timbers with said flanges and a portion ofthe side edges of each section overlapping said timbers to support saidsections thereon with the bottom wall of each section spaced above saidtop plates, said floor plates being secured to said timbers to compressthe material of said flanges and provide a seal and the opposed groovesin the side and end edges of said floor plates being filled with aplastic caulking compound, whereby a moistureproof seal is providedbetween the compartment and the space above said top plates and saidfloor sections are individually removable for repair or replacement.

5. Insulated floor structure for refrigerated compartments in a shiphaving a hull, tanks in the bottom of said hull, said tanks having topplates and said compartments being disposed above said tanks, said floorstructure comprising a plurality of spaced, parallel timbers extendingfore and aft in said hull, a plurality of generally rectangular floorsections disposed between and supported on said timbers, each floorsection comprising a generally rectangular floor plate having anoutwardly opening groove ex tending along the side and end edges, across member depending from each end of said floor plate, a generallyrectangular container of moisture-proof, flexible, yieldable materialhaving side, end and bottom walls, outwardly extending flanges on theupper edges of said side walls, said container depending from said floorplate and surrounding said cross members with said flanges secured tosaid floor plate, said end walls being secured to the outer sides ofsaid cross members and a mass of insulation in said container, saidfloor sections being disposed between said timbers with said flanges anda portion of the side edges of each section overlapping said timbers tosupport said sections thereon with the bottom wall of each sectionspaced above said top plates, said floor plates being secured to saidtimbers to compress the material of said flanges and provide a seal andthe opposed grooves in the side and end edges of said floor plates beingfilled with a plastic caulking compound, whereby a moisture-proof sealis provided between the compartment and the space above said top platesand said floor sections are individually removable for repair orreplacement.

6. Insulated floor structure for refrigerated compartments in a shiphaving a hull, tanks in the bottom of said hull, said tanks having topplates and said compartments being disposed above said tanks, said floorstructure comprising a plurality of spaced parallel timbers extendingfore and aft in said hull, a plurality of generally rectangular floorsections disposed between and supported on said timbers, each floorsection comprising a generally rectangular floor plate having anoutwardly opening groove extending along the side and end edges, a crossmember depending from each end of said floor plate, a generallyrectangular container of moisture-proof, flexible, yieldable materialhaving side, end and bottom Walls, outwardly extending flanges on theupper edges of said side walls, said container depending from said floorplate and surrounding said cross members with said flanges secured tosaid floor plate, said end walls being secured to the outer sides ofsaid cross members and a mass of insulation in said container, saidfloor sections being disposed between said timbers with said flanges anda portion of the side edges of each section overlapping said timbers tosupport said sections thereon, said floor plates being secured to saidtimbers to compress the material or" said flanges and provide a seal andthe opposed grooves in the side and end edges of said floor plates beingfilled with a plastic caulking compound, whereby a moistureproof seal isprovided and said floor sections are individually removable for repairor replacement.

7. Insulated floor structure for refrigerated compartments in a shiphaving a hull, tanks in the bottom of said hull, said tanks having topplates and said compartments being disposed above said tanks, said floorstructure comprising a plurality of spaced parallel timbers extendingfore and aft in said hull, a plurality of generally rectangular floorsections disposed between and supported on said timbers, each floorsection comprising a generally rectangular floor plate having anoutwardly opening groove extending along the side and end edges, a crossmember depending from each end of said floor plate, a generallyrectangular container of moisture-proof material having side, end andbottom walls, outwardly extending flanges on the upper edges of saidside walls, said container depending from said floor plate andsurrounding said cross members with said flanges secured to said floorplate, said end walls being secured to the outer sides of said crossmembers and a mass of insulation in said container, said floor sectionsbeing disposed between said timbers with said flanges and a portion ofthe side edges of each section overlapping said timbers to support saidsections thereon, said floor plates being secured to said timbers andthe opposed grooves in the side and end edges of said floor plates beingfilled with a plastic caulking compound, whereby a moisture-proof sealis provided and said floor sections are individually removable forrepair or replacement.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Re.7,872 Baldwin Sept. 4, 1877 1,889,150 McChesney Nov. 29, 1932 2,756,463Clements July 31, 1956 3,082,726 Dosker Mar. 28, 1963

7. INSULATED FLOOR STRUCTURE FOR REFRIGERATED COMPARTMENTS IN A SHIPHAVING A HULL, TANKS IN THE BOTTOM OF SAID HULL, SAID TANKS HAVING TOPPLATES AND SAID COMPARTMENTS BEING DISPOSED ABOVE SAID TANKS, SAID FLOORSTRUCTURE COMPRISING A PLURALITY OF SPACED PARALLEL TIMBERS EXTENDINGFORE AND AFT IN SAID HULL, A PLURALITY OF GENERALLY RECTANGULAR FLOORSECTIONS DISPOSED BETWEEN AND SUPPORTED ON SAID TIMBERS, EACH FLOORSECTION COMPRISING A GENERALLY RECTANGULAR FLOOR PLATE HAVING ANOUTWARDLY OPENING GROOVE EXTENDING ALONG THE SIDE AND END EDGES, A CROSSMEMBER DEPENDING FROM EACH END OF SAID FLOOR PLATE, A GENERALLYRECTANGULAR CONTAINER OF MOISTURE-PROOF MATERIAL HAVING SIDE, END ANDBOTTOM WALLS, OUTWARDLY EXTENDING FLANGES ON THE UPPER EDGES OF SAIDSIDE WALLS, SAID CONTAINER DE-